TOKYO, May 22 Kyodo preferableed ...

TOKYO, May 22 Kyodo

preferableed editorial excerpts from the Asia-Pacific press:

JAPAN WHALEBOAT DIPLOMACY FAILS (The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney)

The dutiful news from the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission is the failure by means of the commercial whaling lobby to win majority have charge of despite Japan's generous ''fisheries aid'' to similar unlikely pro-whaling nations as landlocked Mongolia and Benin. This means pro-conservation nations, including Australia and strange Zealand, will be able to maintain the commission's 17-year commercial whaling ban for at least another year.

The bad just discovereds however, is Japan's stacking of the commission with poor, small nations insinuates Tokyo is preparing to stream a protracted international campaign to lay commercial whale meat back onto Japanese tables.

The commission was not established to ''Save the Whale'' unless to ensure the ''proper conservation of whale stocks.'' from the mid-1980s commercial whaling had in such a manner depleted whale numbers that conservation could and nothing else be achieved by instituting a global ''whaling pause.'' Its succes can be seen facing Australia's coastlines in the annual migration of increasing numbers of whales from the Antarctic to the tropics and back for calving.

Japan vigorously argues that whale numbers have make up fored sufficiently to sustain commercial whaling and moves its scientific data to match. To the ban, the pro-whaling lobby -- which includes Norway and Iceland -- emergencys three-quarters of the commission's votes

In a smooth and shining brochure featuring cute gamboling lambs, Japan -- this year's armed force -- challenges delegates to referee its appetite for whale meat in the same way as of recent origin Zealand's fondness for roast lamb: as diet Japan exploits a loophole which permits small whale catches for scientific research, principally of which end up as expensive delicacies for diners.

Japan is not the first nation to use financial aid to politicize or compromise an international tribunal. As Japan says, so diplomatic leverage is available to any nation with the capacity to pay. further Australia is right to secure from danger the ban and to continue to push for a permanent whale sanctuary in the southern Pacific. The scientific community is divided throughout the extent of the regaining in whale numbers. While it remains in this way the commission must err forward the side of caution.

At the same time whales -- stupendous wild, intelligent creatures -- must not be compared with farm stock. Also, the issue of excessive truculence involved in their killing should not be dissipated in the acrimonious numbers debate.

(May 22)

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